Toy assembly with inner object in housing that performs function

Abstract

In an aspect, a toy assembly is provided, and includes a housing and a toy vehicle inside the housing. The housing has a movable housing portion, and at least one functional element that is movable and is separate from the movable housing portion. The toy vehicle has a drive wheel that, when driven in a first rotational direction causes the drive wheel to drive movement of the functional element so as to carry out a function without driving movement of the toy vehicle towards the movable housing portion, and when driven in a second rotational direction causes the drive wheel to drive the vehicle towards the movable housing portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A toy assembly, comprising:
 a housing and a toy vehicle, 
 the housing defining an interior and having a movable housing portion that is openable relative to a main housing portion to provide an aperture to the interior, wherein the housing includes a secondary functional element that is external to the toy vehicle and that is movable relative to the main portion of the housing and that is separate from the movable housing portion; 
 wherein the toy vehicle is positioned inside the housing, wherein the toy vehicle includes a drive wheel that is positioned relative on the toy vehicle so as to support the toy vehicle on a support surface, and a motor that is operatively connected to the drive wheel to drive the drive wheel in a first rotational direction, wherein the drive wheel is positioned to be engageable with the secondary functional element, such that rotation of the drive wheel in the first rotational direction causes the drive wheel to drive movement of the secondary functional element so as to carry out a function without driving movement of the toy vehicle towards the movable housing portion, 
 wherein the motor is operatively connected to the drive wheel to drive the drive wheel in a second rotational direction, so as to drive the vehicle towards the movable housing portion. 
 
     
     
       2. A toy assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the toy vehicle further includes a controller programmed for controlling operation of the motor, so as to initially drive the drive wheel in the first rotational direction so as to carry out the function and to subsequently drive the drive wheel in the second rotational direction so as to drive the toy vehicle through the aperture. 
     
     
       3. A toy assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein driving movement of the secondary functional element so as to carry out a function is to drive movement of the secondary functional element to impact a support surface on which the housing is supported, so as to shake the housing. 
     
     
       4. A toy assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the drive wheel has a plurality of outwardly extending projections positioned thereon,
 wherein the housing has a floor and wherein the secondary functional element includes an inner projection that is movable downwards relative to a main portion of the floor, and wherein the floor has an underside and has a support surface impact surface on the underside, and 
 wherein rotation of the drive wheel in the first rotational direction causes engagement of the plurality of the outwardly extending projections sequentially with the inner projection to repeatedly drive the inner projection to move downwards so as to drive the support surface impact surface to impact a portion of the support surface underneath the housing. 
 
     
     
       5. A toy assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the drive wheel is positioned, such that, rotation of the drive wheel in the second rotational direction causes engagement between at least one of the plurality of the radially outwardly extending projections with a grip surface on the inner projection to support driving of the toy vehicle towards the movable housing portion.